Harness-check.



v w. c. & H.A .T MIT GHBLL P "mums cmscx. APPLICATION FILED 1030.19; 1907.

906,907. Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

- "I: noun: PITIRI cm. wnsnmunm. n. E

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM CARSON MITCHELL AND HUGH ANDERSON MITCHELL, OF BLOOMVILLE, NEW YORK.

HARNESS-CHE CK.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM CARSON MrroHELL and HUGH ANDERSON MITCHELL, citizens of the United States, residing at Bloomville, in the county of Delaware and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harness- Checks, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to harness and refers particularly to an improved method of arranging the line attachments of single or double harness.

The chief objects of the improvements which form the subject matter of this appli-' cation are to provide a check that will permit a free movement of the horses heads within certain limits; to prevent the animal from reaching his head to the ground, but that will not prevent his drinking from a moderately low trough.

Other objects are to permit of a degree of adjustability, to avoid an excessive tendency to draw the head of an animal upward, and to prevent the lines from getting under the end of the pole or neck yoke.

Further objects of this invention are to avoid unnecessary discomfort to the horses, to prevent the lines becoming entangled in any way when slackened, and to provide a safe, eflicient and humane harness suited to a single or double team.

The advantage and results above mentioned are accomplished by means of the arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application and which shows a top plan view of a set of lines adapted for use on a double harness and having our improved check rein attached thereto, only so much of the harness being shown as will suflioe to make clear the application of the invention.

Referring to the details of the drawing the numeral 1 indicates the collars, 2 the hames of an ordinary harness. The main lines 3 pass through the outer hame rings 4 and are secured in the outer ring 5 of the bit 6 by a buckle or snap 7, the arrangement being in no wise different from that in common use. The auxiliary or cross lines 8 are attached to the main lines 3 in the usual manner at 9, are then led through the inner hame rings 10 and thence pass to the inner rings 11 of the oppo- Site bit, crossing each other at some point 12,

where they are ke t in loose apposition by a center ring 13. p to this point in the described arrangement, there has been no deviation from the methods in common use.

In order to accom lish the ends hereinbefore set forth we make use of check reins or straps 14, which extend between the inner hame and the cross line upon each side, and connect these members in the following manner. To the rear end of each check rein is attached a buckle 15, which permits of an adjustable connection with the upper inside hame ring 10. The opposite or forward end of each check rein is furnished with a snap 16, to engage a ring 17, fixed to the cross rein 8, leading to the bit upon that side, the ring 17 being located at a suitable distance from the bit ring to permit the desired freedom in movements of the horses head.

It will be understood by inspection of the drawing and from the description that the check rein 14, which we prefer to construct of the same material as the harness, that the portion of the cross line 8 lying between the center ring 13 and the bit, will be prevented from sagging to any appreciable extent, or from being carried forward beyond the point of attachment of the check rein thereto, but that the flexibility of the said rein will permit the bit to be moved in the arc of a circle in every direction about the hame attachment of the rein, thus allowing suflicient freedom for the animals movements, and as the check rein may be varied in length by adjusting the buckle 15, the radius of said arc can be varied to suit the particular circumstances.

While we have shown our improved check attached to a double harness it will be evident that the same device may be applied with change in the structure to a single harness, in which case one check rein would be placed upon each side of the horse.-

Having thus descrlbed our invention what we claim as new, is:

1. In a harness, the combination with the main lines, of a check member having its rear end attached to a fixed point upon said harness and the forward end secured to one of the main lines said member extending directly between its attachments.

2. In a harness the combination with the main lines, of a check rein having one end adjustably attached to a fixed point upon said harness and having the opposite end secured to one of the main lines in the vicinity of the attachment of said line to the bit said rein extending directly between its attachments.

3. The combination in a harness provided I with hames, main lines and a bit, of a plurality of check reins, each rein having one end adjustably attached to a fixed point upon said hames, and the other end secured to one a of the said lines in the Vicinity of said bit.

In testimony whereof we affiX our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM CARSON MITCHELL. HUGH ANDERSON MITCHELL. i/Vitnesses:

LEONARD SMITH, IsAAo M. ODELL. 

